Display or advertising apparatus.



PATENTED MAY 10', 1904.

E. LUNDIN. DISPLAY 0R ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13 1903.

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,E''waian UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EFRAIM LUN DIN, OF BOSTON, MA SSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN AUTOMATIC ADVERTISING COM- PANY, A CORPORATIONOF MASSACHUSETTS.

DISPLAY OR ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,815, dated May 10,1904.

Application filed November 18,1903. Serial No. 181,045. (No model.)

To (Ml whom it IH/(I/Z/ concern:

Be it known that I, E FRAIM LUNI )IN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massa- 5chusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display orAdvertising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to advertising or display aprmratuses, andparticularly to that class wherein an apron bearing inscriptions, advertisements, or the like is moved step by step, so as to successivelypresent the inscriptions or the like to view.

The object of my invention is mainly to pro- I vide an improvedapparatus of the character indicated which will be entirely automatic inits operation; but my invention also has in view to provide an improveddisplay or advertising apparatus wherein the, apron bear- 2 ing theinscriptions or the like will be automatically moved first in onedirection step by step for a predetermined distance and then in theopposite direction step by step for a predetermined distance, when itsdirection of movement will be again reversed, so that as long as theapparatus is in operation the apron is automatically moved step by stepfirst in' one direction and then stop by step in the opposite direction.

3 In accordance with my invention the apron is actuated by adriving-motor, which is controlled by a second motor. Means provided forautomatically starting the driving-motor and stopping thecontrolling-motor after the latter has operated to a predeterminedextent and for automatically stopping the driving motor and starting thecontrolling-motor after the driving-motor has operated to apredetermined extent. In this way each operation of 4 the driving-motorshifts the apron which bears the inscriptions or advertisements adefinite distance, and each operation of the controlling--motor causesthe apron to be held stationary for a definite interval of time, afterwhich the driving-motor is again operated.

In the best form of my invention the driving-motor and thecontrolling-motor each has a separate circuit of its own, each of saidcircuits being controlled by a separate switch. hen the apparatus is inoperation, the driv- 5o ing-motor acts to automatically open its ownswitch and close the switch of the controllingmotor after the apron hasbeen shifted a step, and after the controlling-motor has operated for apredetermined length of time said controlling-motor acts toautomatically open the switch of its own circuit and close the switch inthe circuit of the driving-motor, thus causing the driving-motor toagain move the apron a step. In this way the inscriptions on the apronare not only successively presented to view by the driving-motor, butduring the interval of time taken up by the operation of thecontrolling'motor the apron is held stationary, so that the inscriptionsor advertise- 5 ments can be inspected or readthat is to say, the motorsare intermittently operated, so that when the driving-motor is operatedthe apron is moved a definite predetermined distance and when thecontrolling-motor is 7 operated the apron is held stationary for apredetermined length of time, and this is a distinguishingcharacteristic of the best form of my invention.

In the best form of my invention I also pro 7 5 vide a reversing-switchor pole-changer in the circuit of the driving-motor, which switch isautomatically operated to reverse the driving motor when the apron hasbeen moved step by step to a predetermined extent in either d irection.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a display oradvertising apparatus embodying one form of my invention with the apron,hereinafterdescribed, omit- 5 ted for clearness. Fig. 2 is a side viewshowing the relative arrangement of the apronsupporting rolls. Fig. 3 isa plan View, on an enlarged scale, of the top portion of the apparatusshown in Fig. 1. Fig. I is an ele- 9 vation of the parts shown in Fig.3. Fig. 5

is a diagram showing the main elements and the circuits of my improveddisplay or advertising apparatus.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 represents the main framework of myimproved other end is fastened.

apparatus, within which are journalod an upper apron-driving roll 2 anda lower drivingroll 3. Alongside driving-r0112 is journaled apresser-roll 4, and alongside driving-roll 3 is journaled a presser-roll5. On frame 1 are also journaled two take-up rolls 6 and 7, and an apron8 is fastened at one end to roll 6, from which it passes between rolls 2and 4 and thence between rolls 3 and 5 to roll 7, to which its Upon thisapron 8 and at suitable distances apart are inscribed the advertisementsor the like which are to be displayed. Each roll 6 and 7 carries apinion 9, connected, through an intermediate gear 10, with a largegear11, to which one end of spring 12 isfastencd. The other end of eachspring 12 is fastened to frame 1, and the spring 12 of roll 6 is opposedto the spring 12 of roll 7, so that when apron 8 is positively shiftedtoward roll 7, as hereinafter described, spring 12 of roll 6 is wound upand spring 12 of roll 7 unwinds, and thereby winds the apron onto roll 7as it is moved toward said roll. hen apron 8 is shifted toward roll 6,as hereinafter described, spring 12 of roll 6 is allowed to unwind andspring 12 of roll 7 is wound up.

Each driving-roll 2 and 3 has fixed to it at one end thereof a worm-gear13, and these two worm-gears 13 are driven each by a worm 14, fixed to ashaft 15, journaled on frame 1. Shaft 15 carries a pulley 16, connectedby a belt 17 with a pulley 18, fixed to the armature-shaft of anapron-driving motor 19. At its upper end shaft 15 also carries a worm20, which drives a worm-gear 21, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) fast to a shaft22, journaled in bearings on frame 1. On this shaft 22 is mounted a worm23, which when rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow drivessegmental wormgear 24 in the direction indicated by the arrow on saidgear-that is, the worm 23 turns gear 24 until the teeth of gear 24 clearsaid wormwhen aspring 25, connected at one end to a crank-pin 26 on gear24 and at its other end to frame 1, gives a sudden partial rotarymovement to gear 24 and moves said gear far enough to reengage its teethwith worm 23. When worm 23 is rotated in a direction opposite to thearrow on shaft 22, gear 24 is idle; but another gear, 27, which is alsoprovided with a crank 28, connected to a spring 29, is operated in asimilar manner. This gear 27, however, is idle when worm 23 is rotatedin the direction indicated by the arrow on shaft 22.

Pivoted at 30 to frame 1 is a bell-crank switch-lever 31, one arm ofwhich carries a contact 32, adapted to cooperate with a fixed contact33, mounted on frame 1, and the other arm of lever 31 carries a contact34, adapted to cooperate with a fixed contact 35, also mounted on frame1.

The two segmental gears 24 and 27 are arranged alongside one of the armsof lever 31, and journaled on a stud 36, alongside the other arm of thelever 31, is a segmental gear 37, provided with a crank-pin 38, thelatter being connected to one end of a spring 39, fastened at its otherend to an arbor 40, journaled on frame 1.

The teeth of the segmental gear 37 are engaged by a gear 41, journaledon a stud on frame 1, and gear 41 is driven by a pinion 42, fast onarbor 40. Arbor also carries a gear 43, driven by a worm 44, fast on ashaft 45, journaled in bearings on frame 1. Shaft 45 carries a pulley46, connected by a belt 47 with a pulley 48, fast on the armature-shaftof a motor 49, fixed to frame 1.

hen motor 49 is in operation, it acts through belt 47, pulley 46, shaft45, worm 44, gear 43, arbor 40, pinion 42, and gear 41 to rotate gear37; but part of each revolution of gear 37 is effected by gear 41, andthey balance of each revolution is effected by the spring 39 that is,gear 41 turns gear 37 until the teeth of the latter are free from gear41, and then by a quick movement spring 39 completes the revolution ofgear 37 and re engages its teeth with gear 41.

Each time one of the gears 24 or 27 is moved by its spring 25 or 29 thecrank 26 or 28, as the case may be, strikes the adjacent arm of thelever 31 and moves the latter in one direction, and each time gear 37 ismoved by its spring 39 its crank-pin 38 strikes the adjacent arm oflever 31 and moves the latter back to its first position.

As shown in Fig. 5, contact 33 is connected by a wire 50 with a positiveline-wire 51, and contact 32, which cooperates with contact 33, isconnected by a wire 52 with motor 49, the latter being connected by awire 53 with the negative line-wire 54, so that when motor 19 causeseither crank 26 or 28 to strike and lever 31 contacts 32 and 33areconnected, and the circuit of motor 49 is thereby closed. It will nowbe observed that when the motor has operated long enough to cause spring39 to complete the revolution of gear 37, Which was begun by thusstarting motor 49, crank-pin 38 will strike the adjacent arm of lever31, and contacts 32 and 33 will be separated, thus stopping motor 49.

As shown in Fig. 5, contact 35 is connected by a wire 55 with line-wire51, and contact 34 is connected by a wire 56 with one end of the windingof the field of motor 19. The other end of the winding of the field ofmotor 19 is connected by a wire 57 with a movable contact 58, the latterconstituting part of a polechanger or reversing-switch 59. hen the motoris running in one direction, this contact 58 of the reversing-switchrests against a fixed contact 60, connected byawire 61 with one of thebrushes of the commutator of motor 19. The other brush of the commutatorof motor 19 is connected by a wire 62 with the other fixed contact, 63,of reversing-switch 59, and against contact 63 rests a movable contact64,

connected by a wire with line-wire 54. It

will thus be seen that when the reversingswitch 59 is in the conditionshown in the drawings motor 19 is driven in one direction, when contacts34 and 35 are closed, and that its circuit is from line 51 through wire55, contacts 34 and 35, wire 56, the field of the motor 19, wire 57,contacts 58 and 60, wire 61, the armature of motor 19, wire 62, contacts63 and 64, and thence through wire 65 to line-wire 54. It will also beobserved that when lever 31 is operated byeither of the cranks 26 or 28the circuit of motor 19 is opened at 34 35 at the same time that thecircuit of motor 49 is closed at 32 33; also that when lever 31 isoperated. by crank-pin 38 the circuit of motor 19 is closed at 34 35 atthe same time that the circuit of motor 49 is opened at 32 33.

The mechanism so far as described acts automatically to operate themotors 19 and 49 alternately and intermittently, and its operation is asfollows: Starting with lever 31 in the position shown in Fig. 3 and withcontacts 34 35 closed and contacts 32 33 open, motor 19 is in operationand continues to operate until worm 23 has rotated gear 24 far enough toclear the teeth of the latter from said worm, whereupon spring 25completes the revolution of gear 24 and causes crank 26 to swing lever31 on its pivot 30 far enough to disconnect contacts 32 33. This stopsmotor 19 and starts motor 49, which continues in operation until theteeth of gear 37 clear the teeth of gear 41, whereupon spring 39completes the revolution of gear 37 and causes crank-pin 38 to strikelever 31 and return it to its first position, thereby stopping motor 49and again starting motor 19. Thereafter the alternate and intermittentoperations of the two motors are automatically repeated. Thus motor 19,which drives apron 8, automatically stops itself after shifting theapron to a predetermined extent, and after a predetermined interval oftime said motor 19 is automatically started again by the motor 49.

The reversing-switch 59 comprises besides the contacts 58, 60, 63, and64 two other movable contacts, 66 and 67, the contact 66 being connectedby a wire 68 with wire 65 and contact 67 by a wire 69 with wire 57.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the contacts of reversing-switch 59 aremounted on frame 1 alongside a forked lever 70, carrying a wedge 71.Lever 70 is moved in one direction bya spring 72, fast at one end tosaid lever and at its other end to frame 1 and in the opposite directionby a crank-pin 73, carried by a segmental gear 74. Crank-pin 73 hasfastened to it one end of a spring 75, and the other end of said springis fixed to frame 1. Gear 74 is engaged by a pinion 76 on arbor 77,which also carries a worm-gear 78, driven by a worm 79 on an arbor 80.Arbor 80 also carries a wornrgear 81, driven by a worm 82 on an arbor83, on which is also mounted a wormgear 84, driven by the worm 44 onarbor 45. Each time motor 49 operates it acts through the mechanism justdescribed to rotate gear 74 in the direction indicated by the arrow onestep, and when motor 49 has operated a number of times--say, forexample, twenty times-and gear 74 has moved a corresponding.number ofsteps pin 73 clears the forked lever 70, and spring 72 acts to swinglever 70 toward the contacts of reversing-switch .59 and to force wedge71 in between contacts 66 and 67 of said switch, thereby carrying saidcontacts 66 and 67 against contacts 60 and 63 and contacts 58 and 64away from corn tacts 60 and 63. Thus motor 19.is automatically reversedby motor 49 when the apron 8 has been shifted a predetermined number ofsteps in one direction. Motor 49, however, continues to operate asbefore, and crank-pin 73 continues to travel in the same direction asbefore motor 19 was reversed, and when motor 49 has again operatedtwenty times and gear 74 has been moved a corresponding number of stepsthe teeth of gear 74 clear the teeth of pinion 76 and spring 75 gives aquick partial rotary movement to gear 74 in the same direction it wastraveling suiiieient to cause crank-pin 73 to engage lever 70 and returnit to its first position, as shown in Fig. 3, and at the same time theteeth of gear 74 are reengaged with pinion 76. Thus motor 19 is againauton'latically reversed by motor 49 when the apron 8 has been shifted apredetermined nu mber of steps in the opposite direction. lontacts 58and 64 each has mounted in its outer free end a screw 85, and these twoscrews 85 hear at their inner ends upon blocks of insulation 86, carriedby the contacts 66 and 67. The s1'n-ing-contacts58, 66, 67, and 64 areadjusted or set so that when wedge 71 is out of engagement with contacts66 and 67 contacts 58 and 64 are against contacts 60 and 63 and contacts66 and 67 are held away from contacts 60 and 63 by the screws 85. When,however, wedge 71 is forced in between contacts 66 and 67 and the latterare carried against contacts 60 and 63, the movement imparted to them bythe wedge acts through screws 85 to shift contacts 58 and 64 away fromcontacts 60 and 63. As will now be clear, my improved display oradvertising apparatus is entirely automatic in its operation and acts toshift the apron bearing the inscriptions or advertisements step by stepfirst in one direction for a predetermined distance and then stop bystep in the reverse direction for a predetermined distance, also thatthe intervals of time taken up by the operations of motor 49 causes theapron to be held stationary long enough to permit the inscriptions oradvertisements to be inspected or read.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a display or advertising apparatus, in

combination a driving-motor; a controlling- IIO motor; means forautomatically starting the driving-motor and stopping the controlling-Inotor after the latter has operated to a predetermined extent; andmeans for automatically stopping the driving-motor and starting thecontrolling-motor after the driving-motor has operated to apredetermined extent.

2. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, adriving-motor; a controllingmotor; means operated by thecontrolling-motor for automatically starting the driving-motor andstopping the controlling-motor after the latter has operated toapredetermined exv tent, and means operated by the driving-motor forautomatically stopping the driving-m0- tor and starting thecontrolling-motor after the driving-motor has operated to apredetermined extent.

3. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, an apron; adriving-motor for said apron; a controlling-motor for saiddriving-motor; means for automatically starting the driving-motor andstopping the controlling-motor after the latter has operated to apredetermined extent, and means for automatically stopping thedriving-motor and starting the controlling-motor after the driving-motorhas moved the apron to a predetermined extent.

4. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, an apron; adriving-motor for said apron; a controlling-motor for saiddriving-motor; means operated by the controlling-motor for automaticallystarting the driving-motor and stopping the controlling-motor after thelatter has operated to a predetermined extent, and means operated by thedriving-motor for automatically stopping the driving-motor and startingthe controlling-motor after the driving-motor has moved the apron to apredetermined extent.

5. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, adriving-motor; a controllingmotor; acircuit for each motor; a switch ineach circuit; means for automatically closing the switch of thedriving-motor and opening the switch of the controlling-motor after thelatter has operated to a predetermined extent, and means forautomatically closing the switch of the controllingmotor and opening theswitch of the driving-motor after the drivingmotor has operated toapredetermined extent.

6. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, an apron; adriving-motor for the apron; a controlling-motor; means forantomatically starting the driving-motor and stopping thecontrolling-motor after the latter has operated to a predeterminedextent; means for automatically stopping the drivingmotor and startingthe controlling-motor after the driving-motor has operated to apredetermined extent, and automatic means to reverse the driving-motorwhen the apron has been moved a predetermined distance in eitherdirection.

7. In a display or advertising apparatus, in combination, an apron; adriving-motor for said apron; a controlling-motor for saiddriving-motor; a circuit for each motor, a switch in each circuit; meansfor automatically closing the switch of the driving-motor and openingthe switch of the controlling-motor after the latter has operated to apredetermined extent; means for automatically closing the switch of thecontrolling-motor and opening the switch of the driving-motor after thedriving-motor has movedthe apron a step; a reversing-switch in thecircuit of the driving-motor, and automatic means to operate thereversingswitch when the apron has been moved a predetermined distancein either direction.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 29th day of October, 1903.

EFRAIM LUNDIN.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR F. RANDALL, J OSEPHINE H. RYAN.

